T with the Maggies
Encyclopedia
T with the Maggies are an Irish traditional supergroup
from County Donegal
, Ireland
. The group first performed together at a tribute concert to folk singer and guitarist Mícheál Ó Domhnaill
, older brother of Triona and Maighread, and released their debut album in October 2010.
, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill
and Mairéad Ní Dhomhnaill had performed together since the early 1970s during special events and as members of different groups, although not as a foursome. Moya has been lead singer and frontwoman of Grammy-award winning group Clannad
since the beginning of the 1970s and is the eldest of the Brennan family, Ireland's most successful musical family, of which younger siblings Enya
and Brídín
have previously performed. Mairéad (who was a member of a short-lived group Ragairne, with Enya) has been the front-woman, singer and a fiddle player with Altan, which she founded with her late husband Frankie Kennedy
. Maighread and Tríona were members of influential traditional Skara Brae
. Both recorded albums with Dónal Lunny
, while Tríona became singer with The Bothy Band
, Relativity, Nightnoise
and Touchstone. All are successful solo artists.
. His sisters Maighread and Tríona performed along with Moya and Mairéad, the first time all four singers had performed together, despite many collaborations in different compositions.
At Temple Bar TradFest 2009, the group performed their first two concerts under the name T with the Maggies. In the same year, they were invited to perform at the 2009 Irish Global Economic summit
. They were commissioned to record the folk song Two Sisters by Sam Shepard
for his play Ages of the Moon, which opened in New York
and Dublin, starring actors Stephen Rea
and Seán McGinley
.
Their debut album, T with the Maggies
was released at the end of October 2010.
Supergroup (music)
In the late 1960s, the term supergroup was coined to describe "a rock music group whose performers are already famous from having performed individually or in other groups"....
from County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
. The group first performed together at a tribute concert to folk singer and guitarist Mícheál Ó Domhnaill
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill was an Irish singer, guitarist, and composer, who was a major influence on Irish traditional music in the second half of the twentieth century...
, older brother of Triona and Maighread, and released their debut album in October 2010.
Background
Band members Moya BrennanMoya Brennan
Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...
, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....
, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill
Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill
Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill is an Irish traditional singer, pianist, and composer, considered one of the most influential female vocalists in the history of Irish music. She is famed for her work with traditional Irish groups such as Skara Brae, The Bothy Band, Relativity, Touchstone, and Nightnoise.-...
and Mairéad Ní Dhomhnaill had performed together since the early 1970s during special events and as members of different groups, although not as a foursome. Moya has been lead singer and frontwoman of Grammy-award winning group Clannad
Clannad
Clannad are an Irish musical group, from Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. Their music has been variously described as bordering on folk and folk rock, Irish, Celtic and New Age, often incorporating elements of an even broader spectrum of smooth jazz and Gregorian chant...
since the beginning of the 1970s and is the eldest of the Brennan family, Ireland's most successful musical family, of which younger siblings Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...
and Brídín
Brídín Brennan
Brídín Ní Bhraonáin , professionally known as Brídín Brennan, is an Irish pop singer from Dobhar , Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. She is the sister of Moya Brennan and Enya and has also toured with family-band Clannad.-Upbringing:...
have previously performed. Mairéad (who was a member of a short-lived group Ragairne, with Enya) has been the front-woman, singer and a fiddle player with Altan, which she founded with her late husband Frankie Kennedy
Frankie Kennedy
Frankie Kennedy was a flute and tin whistle player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was also the co-founder of the band Altan, formed with his wife Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh...
. Maighread and Tríona were members of influential traditional Skara Brae
Skara Brae (band)
Skara Brae were an Irish traditional music group from Kells, County Meath with origins in Ranafast , County Donegal. The group consisted of three siblings, Micheal O Domhnaill, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, and Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill, with Dáithí Sproule from Derry...
. Both recorded albums with Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny is an Irish folk musician. Lunny has been at the forefront of the evolution of traditional Irish music for more than thirty-five years and has participated within the renaissance of traditional Irish music in that time period...
, while Tríona became singer with The Bothy Band
The Bothy Band
The Bothy Band was an Irish traditional band active during the late 1970s. It quickly gained a reputation as one of the most influential bands playing Irish traditional music...
, Relativity, Nightnoise
Nightnoise
Nightnoise was a music ensemble active from 1984 to 1997. Their original blend of Irish traditional music, Celtic music, jazz, and classical chamber music inspired a generation of Irish musicians...
and Touchstone. All are successful solo artists.
History
In May 2007, Irish folk musicians from around the world gathered in Dublin, Ireland to celebrate the life and music of singer Mícheál Ó DomhnaillMícheál Ó Domhnaill
Mícheál Ó Domhnaill was an Irish singer, guitarist, and composer, who was a major influence on Irish traditional music in the second half of the twentieth century...
. His sisters Maighread and Tríona performed along with Moya and Mairéad, the first time all four singers had performed together, despite many collaborations in different compositions.
At Temple Bar TradFest 2009, the group performed their first two concerts under the name T with the Maggies. In the same year, they were invited to perform at the 2009 Irish Global Economic summit
Global Irish Economic Forum
The Global Irish Economic Forum is a biennial conference held in Dublin, Ireland. Inspired by the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, international figures from the worlds of business and culture attend the event. The first Forum was held at Farmleigh in Dublin's Phoenix Park from 18–20...
. They were commissioned to record the folk song Two Sisters by Sam Shepard
Sam Shepard
Sam Shepard is an American playwright, actor, and television and film director. He is the author of several books of short stories, essays, and memoirs, and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979 for his play Buried Child...
for his play Ages of the Moon, which opened in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and Dublin, starring actors Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea
Stephen Rea is an Irish film and stage actor. Rea has appeared in high profile films such as V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, Interview with the Vampire and Breakfast on Pluto...
and Seán McGinley
Seán McGinley
Seán McGinley is an Irish film and television actor.-Early life:McGinley was born in Pettigo, County Donegal, Ireland where his father was a customs officer, and raised in nearby Ballyshannon...
.
Their debut album, T with the Maggies
T with the Maggies (album)
-Release:The album was launched in Dublin on 29 October 2010 by actor Stephen Rea. Friends of the singers in attendance included musicians Luka Bloom, Neil Martin and Paul Brady and broadcaster Miriam O'Callaghan...
was released at the end of October 2010.
Name
The group name, T with the Maggies was decided upon as Maighread, Mairéad and Moya had often performed together, and humorously called themselves the Maggies. The groups first performance was the first in which all four collaborated on the same project, adding T for Tríona.External links
- Official website
- T with the Maggies at FacebookFacebookFacebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
- T with the Maggies at MySpaceMySpaceMyspace is a social networking service owned by Specific Media LLC and pop star Justin Timberlake. Myspace launched in August 2003 and is headquartered in Beverly Hills, California. In August 2011, Myspace had 33.1 million unique U.S. visitors....
- T with the Maggies at TwitterTwitterTwitter is an online social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read text-based posts of up to 140 characters, informally known as "tweets".Twitter was created in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey and launched that July...